Kirkcaldy residents say bins nightmare is rubbish

Tanya Scoon

The solution of moving a communal rubbish bin eyesore off the High Street to a side street has just moved the problem to somewhere else.

And now residents and businesses in the area are calling for prompt action, with the warning that the situation at present is “a real health hazard.”

A few months ago Fife Council took the decision to move the bins, serving flats on the High Street, down to the side street to improve the look of the main thoroughfare.

This came after many residents and businesses said the overflowing bins and piled up rubbish bags were having a detrimental effect on the High Street.

However, the same problems of rubbish spilling out of the crammed full bins and plastic bags of rubbish piled high at the side of them are now being experienced in their new position.

Archie Bell, a dentist at Harper Bell in Redburn Wynd, described the situation as “a real health hazard.”

“It is absolutely disgusting and is a horrible sight for people coming into our dental surgery,” he told the Press.

“It is an eyesore and a real health hazard that has just moved from the High Street onto our doorstep, and we have contacted Fife Council and David Torrance about this.

“Their officers have been down going through the rubbish to identify those who are just dumping it at the side, but if there are not enough bins and they are not being emptied then what else are they going to do?

“They need to look at the whole area and look at providing more bins in different locations to try to solve this disgusting problem.”

Margaret Merry, one of the flats’ residents, described the situation as “a living nightmare.”

“The close around the bins is disgusting with rubbish and food waste from the torn bin bags that can no longer be fitted in the bins,” she said.

“The bags are ripped apart by the swooping seagulls that scream around the flats most of the day and part of the night. It is a living nightmare.

“There are no recycling bins for the flats, which would reduce the problem because, apparently, Joe Public would use them and contaminate the recycling.

“I want to recycle – just not to have to drive to the tip every time I have some paper or cardboard.

“We are supposed to discourage the gulls by not feeding them. We are supposed to reduce our waste by recycling. Here on the High Street, we have the provision to do neither.”

Martin Kingham, service manager for waste operations said: “These bins are for 12 local flats and they are normally serviced every Wednesday. We had a number of vehicle breakdowns last week which disrupted our routine and regrettably led to a collection being missed. The bins were serviced yesterday (Wednesday) and all excess waste has been cleared away.

“For years, these bins have generally kept the street much cleaner since they replaced the refuse sacks that were being burst open by seagulls before we could collect them.”